There only a few days to go before WRAP’s Recycle Week is under way. It  will be running from June 22nd to 28th and has the theme ‘let’s waste less’.

In support of Recycle Week the teams at BemoreEco and MoreEco will be blogging their recycling exploits each day.  Visit the recycling page to see what is happening.However to give you a little taster of what we are planning to do we have chosen to carry out the following tasks/pledges;

• Look out for Gadgets / products which help with you with your recycling tasks and pledges.
• Raise awareness of public recycling bins and types off
• Recycle my food by using left overs for lunch each day.

You can now go to the Recycle Now website to make your pledge.

Also as bonus if you sign up to MoreEco during Recycling week we will give you an extra 100 joining points. Use offer code ‘recyclenow’.

We are offering  a series of sewing workshops in Bath beginning in September 2009.   ‘Make Me’ Basic Sewing

“Make
do and Mend” is the trend sweeping the nation as people turn to more
traditional practices to save money, simplify their lives and gain
satisfaction through creativity. Come
and learn basic sewing skills in an intimate group of just 6 people
taught by Jenny Ambrose the founder of eco-fashion label Enamore.

September – Tuesday Evenings 6.30pm – 8.30pm
October – Tuesday Evenings 6.30pm – 8.30pm
November – Tuesday Evenings 6.30pm – 8.30pm   

£60 per 4 week session [including some materials] 

‘Fancy Pants’ Sew Your Own Knickers   Have
you ever fancied learning how to sew your own knickers? You can now!
Join us in an intimate group of just 6 people where you will learn how
to utilize your new skills to carry on making knickers from the comfort
of your own home. You will be provided with basic knicker patterns as
well trimmings such as fabrics, knicker elastics, laces, ribbons and
buttons.

Saturday September 12th 10am – 4pm Saturday October 17th 10am – 4pm   ‘Christmas Fancy Pants’
Saturday November 15th 10am – 4pm  Saturday November 22nd 10am – 4pm 
  £55.00 per session [including materials]    What you need to bring… You
will need to bring a domestic sewing machine along to the class. We do
have an overlocker in the studio, which can be used by participants and
there is one sewing machine, which can be used on a first come first
serve  basis.

We welcome participants to browse and borrow from our library of fashion, sewing and craft books and patterns. 

Location: Walcot Woolies 104 Walcot St. Bath, BA1 5BG

If you would like more information or would like to register please contact jenny@enamore.co.uk or call 01225 851 004.

Walcot Woolies also offer knitting and crochet courses  on Wednesday and Thursdays. For more information  
please contact Mary mary@walcotwoollies.co.uk

Commuter cyclists with no washing facilities at their place of work are coming up with increasingly imaginative ways of getting clean after their morning ride, the most extreme of which being a shower they build themselves, according to the Environmental Transport Association.

The DIY shower uses items that are readily available on the high street, costs around £50, and once assembled transforms a standard loo into a fully-functioning hot water shower. Once finished with, the shower can be packed away in less than a minute.

Photographs and further details on how the shower is built are posted at www.ilovemybike.co.uk

Director at ilovemybike.co.uk, Andrew Davis said: “The lack of workplace showers is one reason why more people don’t commute by bike – employers should spend Bike Week thinking about what they can do to help.”

No shower at work – how do cyclists manage?

Baby wipes: Many cyclists shower before they set off for work and
then when they arrive, wipe themselves down with disposable baby wipes.

Ride slower: Cyclists in continental Europe tend to ride their bikes
slower when they commute to work – it doesn’t add much to the journey
time and you don’t sweat

Use a local gym: The easiest way to get access to a shower if there are
no washing facilities at your place of work is to join the local gym

Keep a supply of shirts at work: This doesn’t solve the problem of
getting clean, but bringing five clean and ironed shirts to work on a
Monday ensures the commuter cyclist looks smart

A poll conducted on behalf of ilovemybike.co.uk for Bike Week found that over 4 million British motorists would be prepared to cycle
more to cut their motoring costs.

Show Dad you care about him and the environment – choose a stylish eco-friendly gift from Love Eco’s Father’s Day collection and get 10% off plus FREE delivery. Simply enter the following special promotional code when prompted at checkout and we’ll do the rest.

YOUR SPECIAL 10% DISCOUNT CODE IS: ECODAD6
*valid until 18.06.09 (order before midday on 18.06.09 to ensure delivery for Father’s Day)

Rich countries
risk wrecking vitally important international talks on a climate agreement,
Christian Aid warns today at the close of the latest UN negotiations in Bonn.

They
have failed to commit to dramatic curbs in their greenhouse emissions, or
recognise the scale of funding poor countries urgently need to cope with the
impacts of global warming.

There
are now just six months to go until the critical UN summit in Copenhagen, at which a new climate deal must
be agreed to come into force when the first phase of the Kyoto Protocol ends.

During
the Bonn talks,
it was clear that rich countries plan to continue polluting at levels that will
make dangerous climate change inevitable.

This was
highlighted by Japan’s
announcement of a target to cut its emissions from 1990 levels by only 8 per
cent by 2020. That is a mere 2 per cent more than Japan’s
existing target under the Kyoto
protocol and is entirely inadequate.

‘Developed
countries have been unable to agree on any overall target for their cuts, let
alone one which will hold the global temperature rise below 2^oC
- the point at which scientists predict climate catastrophe,’ says
Nelson Muffuh, Christian Aid’s senior climate
advocate. ‘They are
wrecking the negotiations that are supposed to secure a deal by December.’

Mithika
Mwenda from Kenya,
Coordinator of the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance, says rich
countries’ proposed emissions cuts are even weaker than those required by
the existing Kyoto Protocol.

‘I’d
rather see my country refuse an agreement with such low ambition,’ says
Mr Mwenda,  ‘Rich countries’ political will to make up for
their historic responsibility and to safeguard poor people’s lives,
dignity and development is just not there. Things have to change dramatically.’

The lack
of trust has worsened as rich countries drag their feet and demand more action
from the developing world.

Developing
countries are rightly worried about efforts to change the terms of the
negotiations and shift the burden of dealing with climate change onto them.
Their concerns are deepened by rich countries’ failure to deliver on
previous emissions and finance commitments.

Developing
countries are demanding that rich nations admit their responsibility for
causing climate change, through a century and a half of industrialisation.

Pollution
from rich countries is already having devastating effects in developing
countries, through droughts, floods and tropical storms. But during the
negotiations, rich countries including the European Union have refused to
accept their responsibility for such damage.

Mr
Muffuh adds: ‘Without real progress on commitments by the rich world, the
negotiations will collapse. Developed countries should prevent further delays
by immediately committing to urgent, deep emissions cuts.

‘They
must come back to the next round of talks willing to act and to agree to
ambitious, quantified financial support for adaptation and mitigation in
developing countries, as well as technology transfer.

‘Such
action is neither an act of charity nor a punishment against rich countries.
Rather, it is compensation for the damage they have done.’

www.animaltails.co.uk

Come and see
our wonderful collection of babies and children’s clothes at

Bubble
Kids Trade Show, Islington Business Design Centre, London, UK

21-22
June 2009

STAND
D40

Stunning
colours, incredible screen prints and fun story labels telling amazing
facts
about the endangered animals featured.

Childrens
clothes have never been so bright, stylish and educational

Animal Tails
designs are now stocked throughout the UK and internationally in
leading
boutiques and department stores including Fenwicks and Adili.com

A 24ct-gold folding bike launched on 12th June is aimed at cyclists who would like a healthy and green means of transport to stow in their luxury sports car, power boat or helicopter.

The golden bike costs £2,500 and folds down into a discreet bag the size of a small suitcase. It is on sale during Bike Week (13-21 June 2009).

Director at ilovemybike.co.uk, Andrew Davis, said: “When folded this bike fits as easily in a helicopter as it does on a number 37
bus – it’s a luxurious and healthy way to travel for the price of a scooter.”

With regards to the plating of the gold bike, we employed a company that buys gold from small-scale, artisanal mines and has a
commitment to fair trade and environmental sustainability.

More details on the gold bike at www.ilovemybike.co.uk

Climate
change is a very high profile topic with everybody trying to jump on
the
bandwagon, and financial institutions are no exception. Ethical
investment is a
great opportunity for conscientious investors to help with the future
of our
planet, but are all the funds that claim to be ethical really committed
or are
we just seeing a token burst of green wash?

www.investing-ethically.co.uk

You
might think climate change is the single biggest issue facing us, and
perhaps
you agree that it needs a huge financial input to even scratch the
surface of
the problem. If you are thinking about doing your bit by investing in a
climate
change fund, you may be surprised if you look below the surface and
discover
just how ‘green’ some of these funds really are.

‘Climate
change’ is a broad term that is applied to any fund that claims to be
investing in companies that have something to do with tackling climate
change
issues. They range from very general funds that invest in almost
anything
(including arms and tobacco) as long as it has a suitably strong
recycling
policy, to very specific funds that invest only in one specific part of
one
specific sector such as renewable energy.

They
are different from traditional ethically screened funds because they
are not
concerned with negative screening or engagement. They positively
screen, some
very specifically whilst others are very vague.

To
throw a little light on this subject, we have reviewed 12 climate
change funds
and revealed some interesting facts:

8
out of these 12 funds invest in the nuclear industry – claiming that
its
better the world doesn’t fry, even if it means risking another
Chernobyl!

One
invests in BAE Systems, presumably on the basis that they are
developing less
environmentally harmful bombs.

One
fund even has the following negative comment:

• “Extremely
  inclusive fund with exposure to arms, tobacco, mining as well as
  nuclear – 10% of fund goes into companies that could be deemed to be
  connected to climate change in any meaningful sense.
• Short
  track record.

• Very high (and
  unreasonable!) ongoing costs with the performance related fee

The
best performing fund was the Schroder’s Global Climate Change fund
- the worst the Guinness Alternative Energy Fund with a 44%+ difference
in the returns.

So
are climate change funds “ethical funds” in the traditional sense?
Not really, but perhaps they fall into the “Socially Responsible
Investment” camp. The jury’s out on this one so we suggest you
judge for yourself.  We’ve made the report available on our web site
(www.investing-ethically.co.uk)
and I’d be very interested in your comments.

Surfers
Against Sewage’s (SAS) new campaign Protect Our Waves (POW) campaign is
having its first action, The Gathering, and we need you to get
involved! Simply turn up to Kimmeridge Bay with your wetsuit and board
at 10am on Saturday the 20th of June, International Surfing Day and
show the MoD how important waves are to surfers and waveriders. This is
your chance to be an active part of a solution-based campaign
protecting waves.

The
Gathering will be a mass paddle out at Kimmeridge to demonstrate how
significant and passionate the UK’s surfing and wave-riding communities
are, not least local Bournemouth and Dorset surfers. Winning this
campaign will set a strong precedent for protection of all waves and
all waveriders’ rights to access them, so all surfers have a vested
interest! The Gathering will form the foundations for the Broadbench
campaign and we need the foundations to be as strong as possible. We
need you to attend!

Broadbench is a quality wave in
Kimmeridge Bay, described by many as one of Britain’s best.
Unfortunately it falls right on the outer boundary of a MoD firing
range. Obviously SAS are not asking the MoD to reduce their use of this
important firing range. However, there is a compromise that will ensure
surfers and waveriders can have 100% access to Broadbench without
impacting on the MOD’s full use of the firing range.

We
are calling on the MoD to revert to a previous firing station, changing
where they fire from. This will in turn change the direction of their
firing and leave Broadbench outside the boundary of the firing range.
Leaving surfers and waveriders with 100% access to Broadbench without
it impacting on the MoD in any way.

We are meeting for the
Gathering at Kimmeridge Bay 10am, Saturday the 20th of June at 10am, it
will be finished by 11.30. Please bring your wetsuit and
surfboard/windsurf/kite board/kayak etc… Parking is £4 so please car
share. It will be a fun event and your chance to be an active part of
this solution based Protect Our Waves SAS action in association with
ABBA.

For more information contact Andy Cummins on 01872 555 950 / 07711 767 548 or andy@sas.org.uk

JOIN SAS AND GET A FREE
ORGANIC RIPCURL/SAS T-SHIRT!

We’ve
a bunch of cool organic Ripcurl/SAS t-shirts to give away to new SAS
members, but it’s strictly first come, first served, so don’t miss out,
JOIN NOW.

Membership starts at just £1 a month, which
over a year is less than the cost of a new t-shirt, so what have you
got to lose? You get some new eco-threads AND help protect our waves
and waterways from the all too real threats of pollution.

Just
quote RIPCURL and your preferred 1st and 2nd choice size (S, M, L or
XL) when you order. There are 4 colours of t-shirt, Sky Blue, Optical
White, Blazing Orange and Dark Shadow, however we’re unable to
guarantee sending any particular colour.

This offer is for
new members only, but we have an exclusive competition in the Member’s
Area of the website for current members too! To win one of these
fabulous Ripcurl/SAS tees, email us the answer to the simple question
in the Member’s Area and you’ll be in with a chance of winning!
Competition closes 10am Monday 15th June.

With unemployment at its highest rate for years, who wouldn’t want to find a job they enjoy that helps the environment at the same time? With Reusable Nappies currently making the comeback they deserve, Natalie in South Wales tells us how she found new and rewarding work as a Nappy Guru with Fill Your Pants.

Natalie says “I chose to become a Nappy Guru after
using cloth nappies on my youngest son. As I was staring at our
overflowing black bin once again I decided enough was enough and
something would have to change. I’m passionate about the environment
and take the view that if we don’t look after it then what will it
become for our future generations?”

“I decided that Fill Your
Pants was the company that I wanted to become an advisor for because
they are a modern company which understands family life and we share
the same values, plus they have the biggest range of nappies I have
ever seen!
Oh and it’s a great way of socialising while working too!”

Every UK baby will spend approximately 25,000 hours in nappies and need about 6,000 nappy changes between birth and potty-training- around 8 million disposable nappies are used every day in the UK alone. Apart from the huge environmental impact, what many people don’t realise is how much money they could actually save. For example, by ‘going cloth’ your family can incur a direct saving of up to £500, and even more for baby number 2, 3, 4, or even 5.
A family run business Fill Your Pants’ commitment to customer service, and the fact that they will only stock and recommend the nappies they are happy using on their own children has led to a huge expansion in the business despite the economic climate.

New Nappy Gurus are required to have experience in using real nappies so they can fully appreciate the benefits and pass on their experience to others. Gurus are encouraged to demonstrate the nappies to potential purchasers and organise ‘Nappuccino’ coffee mornings dedicated to offering the help and advice central to the company’s ethos. Fill Your Pants already offers National email and telephone assistance and the Nappy Guru programme would mean more people could benefit from the one-to-one meetings currently offered in the Leicestershire area.

So if you love real nappies there’s no need to fill your pants if you are feeling the pinch or are looking for extra income- try Fill Your Pants instead.

Laura Tanner on 0116 279 3089 or info@fill-your-pants.com  www.fill-your-pants.com